Biplane fighter aces

Belgium

Sergent E. de Moerlose

E. de Moerlose served with the 4/II/2. Aé equipped with Fiat CR.42 at the time of the German invasion of Belgium in May 1940.

On 14 May, the IIème Group took into action its remaining serviceable aircraft to cover the retreat of the French 7th Armée from Fleurus. The two-hour sortie saw a bitter clash with the 8./JG3 in the Flerus area at 13.55 and one Bf 109E was claimed destroyed by Capitaine Jean de Callatay and another was damaged by 1er Sergent Marcel Michotte. Also during this sortie Sergent de Moerlose claimed a damaged enemy Do 17. 8./JG3 claimed five of the Fiats during this combat. Claiming Luftwaffe pilots were Oberleutnant Wilhelm Gäth (victory no. 1 of 14), Oberfeldwebel Willi Bauer, Unteroffizier Rudolf Saborowski (victory no. 1 of 39), Unteroffizier Karl Flebbe and Unteroffizier Josef Keil (victory no. 1 of 16).
It seems that the Belgian unit didn't suffer any losses and it has not been possible to verify if 8./JG3 sustained any losses in this combat.

De Moerlose ended the war with one damaged enemy aircraft. This was claimed while flying biplanes.